Transition manifolds for cooling channel connections in cooled structures

Abstract

A cooled structure of a gas turbine engine having a main body with a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side portion, a second side portion, and a cavity. A first set of cooling air micro-channels extends from the cavity and are arranged along the first side portion. A second set of cooling air micro-channels extends from the cavity and are arranged along the second side portion. Each set of cooling air micro-channels has at least one transition manifold in fluid communication with an adjacent micro-channel and also in fluid communication with at least one of an intake end, an exhaust end, and mixtures thereof. The cooled structure described above is also embodied in a gas turbine.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cooled structure of a gas turbine engine, comprising;
 a main body having a leading edge, a trailing edge opposite the leading edge, a first side portion, a second side portion opposite the first side portion, and a cavity, wherein the first side portion and the second side portion extend axially between the leading edge and the trailing edge; 
 first cooling air micro-channels extending from the cavity and arranged along the first side portion; 
 second cooling air micro-channels extending from the cavity and arranged along the second side portion; and 
 at least one transition manifold in fluid communication with each micro-channel of the first cooling air micro-channels and the second cooling air micro-channels, the at least one transition manifold being in fluid communication with at least one of an intake end and an exhaust end, the intake end being a loop-shaped intake end; 
 wherein each cooling air micro-channel of the first cooling air micro-channels comprises a transition manifold of the at least one transition manifold positioned within a central portion of the loop-shaped intake end of a respective, adjacent cooling air micro-channel of the second cooling air micro-channels. 
 
     
     
       2. The cooled structure of  claim 1 , comprising third cooling air micro-channels extending from the cavity and arranged along the leading edge and trailing edge. 
     
     
       3. The cooled structure of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one transition manifold has a cross-sectional area that is greater than or equal to a cross-sectional area of a micro-channel in fluid communication with the at least one transition manifold. 
     
     
       4. The cooled structure of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one transition manifold extends in a generally radially outward direction. 
     
     
       5. The cooled structure of  claim 1 , wherein the intake end is in fluid communication with the cavity. 
     
     
       6. The cooled structure of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust end is in fluid communication with a gas turbine hot gas path. 
     
     
       7. The cooled structure of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is positioned radially outward from a combustion gas side of the main body, the cavity further defining an angled perimeter wall. 
     
     
       8. The cooled structure of  claim 7 , wherein each intake end is positioned around the angled perimeter wall and configured to accept compressed cooling air from a cooling flow path. 
     
     
       9. A gas turbine, comprising:
 a compressor section; 
 a combustion section positioned downstream from the compressor section; 
 a turbine section positioned downstream from the combustion section; 
 wherein the gas turbine comprises a plurality of cooled structures, each cooled structure comprising: 
 a main body having a leading edge, a trailing edge opposite the leading edge, a first side portion, a second side portion opposite the first side portion, and a cavity, wherein the first side portion and the second side portion extend axially between the leading edge and the trailing edge; 
 first cooling air micro-channels extending from the cavity and arranged along the first side portion; 
 second cooling air micro-channels extending from the cavity and arranged along the second side portion; and 
 at least one transition manifold in fluid communication with each micro-channel of the first cooling air micro-channels and the second cooling air micro-channels, the at least one transition manifold being in fluid communication with at least one of an intake end and an exhaust end, the intake end being a loop-shaped intake end; 
 wherein each cooling air micro-channel of the first cooling air micro-channels comprises a transition manifold of the at least one transition manifold positioned within a central portion of the loop-shaped intake end of a respective, adjacent cooling air micro-channel of the second cooling air micro-channels. 
 
     
     
       10. The gas turbine of  claim 9  comprising third cooling air micro-channels extending from the cavity and arranged along the leading edge and the trailing edge. 
     
     
       11. The gas turbine of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one transition manifold has a cross-sectional area that is greater than or equal to a cross-sectional area of a micro-channel in fluid communication with the at least one transition manifold. 
     
     
       12. The gas turbine of  claim 9 , wherein the intake end is in fluid communication with the cavity. 
     
     
       13. The gas turbine of  claim 9 , wherein the exhaust end is in fluid communication with a gas turbine hot gas path. 
     
     
       14. The gas turbine of  claim 9 , wherein the cavity is positioned radially outward from a combustion gas side of the main body, the cavity further defining an angled perimeter wall. 
     
     
       15. The gas turbine of  claim 14 , wherein each intake end is positioned around the angled perimeter wall and configured to accept compressed cooling air from a cooling flow path.